If you've ever been camping, you've likely sat on benches or beach chairs around a campfire, toasting marshmallows over the crackling fire with Hershey bars and graham crackers by your side. Nostalgic yet? Even if you're not the outdoorsy type (and most certainly if you are), aspects of this scenario may sound appealing.

Cementum Fireplate. Manufactured by VITEO with collaboration with Concreto.

VITEO

, in collaboration with the manufacturer Concreto, has redesigned the outdoor fire pit to create the Cementum Fireplate, defined by the cleanest of lines and simplest of shapes. This fireplate, in combination with the Cementum Collection benches, will allow you to create a modern campfire conveniently in your own backyard. This is "the art of reducing furniture to its essentials...right down to the simplest of cubic shapes." Cementum, presented at Maison & Objet 2009, is the newest collection of VITEO, an Austrian company that designs modular outdoor furniture systems. It "marks a further systematic development in VITEO's design vocabulary," according to the company. “This time around, light grey concrete components at ground level feature a lightweight construction and set a new tone in the design of outdoor areas.”

Cementum Firetable and Benches. Manufactured by VITEO with collaboration with Concreto.

The fireplate consists of the square fire pit itself within a larger rectangular concrete slab, providing a place to rest ingredients while you cook, or space to cozy up by the fire. The fireplate can be situated next to the sunshade base or table, creating a longer, linear composition. The long Cementum benches can be situated on either side of the fireplace, with individual leather cushions that fit anywhere along the bench, locking around it.

If an entire collection of Cementum is perhaps too contemporary for you or lacking the comfort in seating you desire, mix and match, combining this fireplate with pieces from their other collections. "Hence the Cementum table is the perfect match for the lounge chairs in the Home Collection and the Cementum umbrella stand acts as an aesthetically pleasing cover for the metal stand from the sunshade collection, etc." according to VITEO. The Cementum fireplate is available in two sizes: 1400 mm x 1030 mm x 200 mm (~56 in x 40.5 in x 8 in) or 500 mm x 1500 mm x 80 mm (~20 in x 60 in x 3 in).   Both sit very low to the ground. 

If you are looking for something higher off the ground to hold a bigger fire, check out the Fireplate by Radius, a round firepit of black varnished steel, available in either 750 mm (round) or 1000 mm (round).  For other ideas in innovative fireplace concepts, also be sure to After 6 Design Studio’s A6DS Fireplace for the indoors. Whichever you choose: when the cool spring breezes roll in, grab a blanket and sit beside your fire!

via StylePark